I’m back into my regular routine of lab work and working out/eating well and trying to find time to relax, but I just got back my paper reviews, so I have some work to do. I also have a committee meeting to discuss graduation/defense plans, and hopefully set a date… so I have a lot going on outside of the blog, and I’m trying to get my fitness business up and running… so you can say I am a bit stressed!

BUT, I have been doing some online window shopping (I can’t really spend money right now, I am under a lot of financial stress with bills, if you saw my credit card bills you would be horrified!), and I have noticed certain trends that I like for going into Spring/Summer!

I am particularly fond of maxi dresses, even though I am petite (I stand at only 5′ 2″!). Most maxi dresses I have tried on before and have bought are way too long and I have to get altered, otherwise I am stepping all over the bottom of the dress. Even heels sometimes don’t do the trick!

A caveat – Maxi dresses/skirts are considered lab appropriate, as long as they cover the entire leg and are paired with shoes that cover the entire foot – I’ve worn maxis a couple of times to lab as they are more comfortable than pants, and when you have the right shoes, can be very stylish! A lot of times you can wear boots too, that’s an easy and stylish fix!

Here are some tips I have come up with to help you pick out a maxi dress that is flattering, and some of the “trends” I am loving in terms of style of dress! I picked out these dresses from StyleWe’s huge selection of Petite Maxi Dresses, so you can take a look at the variety of styles of maxis!

1. Choose the best cut for your body type.

What is your body type? What kind of style flatters your body the most? You want a dress that can fit snug to your body, hugging the right curves on your hips and upper body. Do you want a free flowing dress or do you want one that hugs your booty and curves (body con style?)

2. What kind of neckline do you want?
Depending on how comfortable you are, you can choose different necklines that are flattering to different body types. I personally love boatneck and normal sweetheart necklines. Usually V-neck dresses can make you look more lean and tall, but depending on the dress can show more cleavage than you want. This can play a huge role in how comfortable you are in the dress or not!

3. What shoes will you be wearing? Formal or informal?
Depending on the occasion – are you going to be wearing this to an event or just to hang out with friends, go to brunch, or even just hang around at home? This can help you determine if it is ok to buy a longer dress, since you can pair it with heels for a formal event. You can wear some wedged heels for a more comfortable shoe and a boho chic look.

4. Focus on the details and prints
Choose a detail and print that is flattering for you. Some people can pull off really bright and shocking patterns, other times they can be overpowering and make you look like a pile of confusion. Pick a color or pattern that is close to your usual style. In addition, solid colors are always a go to and always a winner. I personally love black and red/deep red, but you can also choose brown, purple/plum, navy, or any other colors you see fit/are flattering!

5. My current favorite trends/prints: I loooooove the bare shoulder look right now like in the red maxi dress shown here. I love that the sleeves are bouncy and the dress is flowy. It is so classy and perfect for a casual or formal occasion/conference, depending on how you style the outfit with shoes, accessories, and your hair!
I also love classy floral prints like this one shown here, I love the contrast o the red and white with the tulle-like look. It is so classy and again works well for formal occasions/conferences. You can be ever the stylish scientist in this beautiful dress!

And lastly, I LOVE the lace seen in this dress. It is covered up but still stylish with the peeks of skin thru the lace. Something about lace I just love, and I love how this looks. You can add some pops of colors thru your accessories and shoes!

I love drawing inspiration from just “window shopping” – I get a lot of ideas and can also most of the time “shop” from my own closet. When I have a chance, whenever I find a new site to shop, I also browse the fashion newsfrom these clothing sites – did you know a lot of clothing sites have their own “blogs” and YouTube channels talking about various fashion trends? I never really noticed until recently. I always thought blogging was limited to independent bloggers, but from now on I will be making more conscious effort to stay on top of the different trends, when I have a chance or free time!

Do you like wearing Maxi dresses? Will these tips help you at all? What is your favorite trend for Maxis or even just a favorite trend for this coming spring/summer fashion season? Let me know in the comments below, I’d love to know!

Have a great rest of your week!

Xo

Andrea

PS. I have a giveaway going on still, enter my SmileBrilliant Teeth whitening giveaway, details on this postHERE.

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5 Comments

Loved the dresses you showed, dear Andrea, and focus on the paper/defense, then fitness and life outside the blog, we can understand, since the defense is so important! I am sending you good vibes! Also, nearly the same height 🙂 I have half an inch more 🙂 So we can say the same height, and I love maxi dresses – and always need to alter them, too, the hem is always too long. I like the foot free length, but covering the feet is OK, too. I especially loved the third dress, I love black gowns! Hope you have a very nice weekend, dear Andrea!DenisesPlanet.com

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